Whether she is performing a solo she choreographed, improvising with the Oktet, or teaching a contemporary dance class, Shlomit Fundaminsky is someone to watch. She has drawn my eyes in all of these settings. Onstage she fully embodies the clever characters she creates, and in the studio, she passes on her passion for movement to her many students (full disclosure – I am one of them!).

I have had the pleasure of talking with Shlomit on many occasions since first arriving in Israel, and we finally sat down to record an engaging conversation in June 2008. Join us as we discuss her career, the connection between improvisation and life, the realities of being a dancer in Israel, and how life in Israel affects the dance that is made here.

Shlomit Fundaminsky in La Divina. Photo by Aviv Zemer.

One of Shlomit’s more recent works is La Divina, created for the program “Opera(tion)” which initially premiered in Jaffa in January 2008. The full program, including works by choreographers Iris Erez and Maya Weinberg, will be presented as part of Maholohet (SummerDance) at Suzanne Dellal on July 31st. This time around, fellow Oktet member Inbal Aloni will take the stage in a memorable, diva-esque performance.

Video: Excerpts of some of Shlomit Fundaminsky’s works.

Video: The Oktet in an improvisation. Shlomit Fundaminsky is in a red sweater.

1 Comments For This Post

Sorry DB, I do not Agree.The Problem over the Years has not been lack of Leadership but lack of Policy.A Political Party shulod have Aims and A Program and the Parties shulod Choose who can best Carry Out and Win an Election to Carry Out those Aims.The System of Elections to the Knesset weekens the Parties, And they Do Not do their job. There is too much “Tit for Tat”.Israeli Response to fanactics and “Playing in to their Hands.The Question is what is the Ideolagy and Program of the So Many Parties in Israel.What happened to Shinuy and all those Center Parties. The Israeli Public is much more united than the Politics. Politics are mucking up everything!!!The Army and the Legal System too that in the 60-70s were considered above the General Standard.So as a Cartoonist and Dry Humour fine.